1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to computer servers and in particular to computer networking protocols. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and system for providing visibility of Ethernet components to a subnet manager in a converged InfiniBand over Ethernet network.
2. Description of the Related Art
InfiniBand is a switched fabric computer network communications link that includes connections between multiple processor nodes and high performance Input/Output (I/O) nodes. InfiniBand provides a point-to-point bidirectional serial link between processors and high performance peripheral devices (e.g., data storage units). In an InfiniBand network, a subnet manager is typically responsible for discovering networked components and assigning local identifiers (LIDs) to each component. The subnet manager sends source-routed packets referred to as fabric management packets (FMPs) to discover components in the InfiniBand network. Each FMP includes a hop field that defines the target of the FMP. For example, if the hop field is a zero value, then the currently active component is the target. However if the hop field is a non-zero value, then the subnet manager decrements the hop field and uses the next port number in a port number array to select the outbound port of a network switch.
Ethernet is a family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operates at multiple signaling rates. Ethernet is typically used in Local Area Networks (LANs). The Ethernet protocol, which is also referred to as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 standard, defines wiring and signaling standards for physical LAN layers, including a means of network access at the Media Access Control (MAC) sub layer and a common address format. Ethernet stations communicate by sending small blocks of data, referred to as data packets, between nodes and/or infrastructure devices (e.g., hubs, switches, and routers) over various types of copper twisted pair wiring and/or fiber optic cable. Each Ethernet station includes a single 48-bit MAC address that may be used to specify the destination or source of a data packet.
Conventional heterogeneous server and storage networks support multiple network protocols simultaneously, such as Ethernet and InfiniBand. As the number of protocols supported by a heterogeneous network increases, so does the complexity of the network infrastructure. Specifically, the Ethernet protocol does not support FMPs, which are used by subnet managers to discover InfiniBand components. The lack of support for FMPs in Ethernet networks can thus be problematic in converged InfiniBand over Ethernet networks.